Thousands Welcome Huckabee

February 11, 2008|By DAVID LERMAN 202-824-8224 -, dlerman@tribune.com

Buoyed by his victories Saturday in Kansas and Louisiana, Republican underdog Mike Huckabee brought his presidential campaign to Virginia on Sunday in hopes of shaking up the nomination battle against frontrunner Sen. John McCain.

Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor and Baptist minister, reached out to evangelical Christians -- his most loyal constituency -- by visiting the late Rev. Jerry Falwell's Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg. He was also scheduled to attend a church Sunday evening near Richmond.

Members of Thomas Road Baptist Church filled the sanctuary's 6,000 seats, lined the walls and sat on the floor in front of the altar as Huckabee was welcomed as "a dear friend" by the Rev. Jonathan Falwell, who became pastor after his father's death last May. After the service, the former Arkansas governor met with reporters and stressed his stands on immigration and the war in Iraq that are more conservative than those of McCain.

Huckabee said he was too busy courting votes to be bothered by an independent poll showing him nearly 30 points behind the Arizona senator in Virginia.

On Monday, Huckabee is scheduled to barnstorm across the state with campaign rallies in Richmond, Virginia Beach, Weyers Cave and Roanoke.

The Virginia Beach rally will be held at noon at the Holiday Inn Executive Center on Greenwich Road.

McCain, who holds a commanding lead in delegates for the GOP nomination, has scheduled a Virginia rally today at 5:30 p.m. at Richmond International Airport's Virginia Aviation Museum.